Mattress



A.'SCANLAN.

MATTRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY12, 1920.

1,381,751 PatentedJune 14, 1921.

lowing isa specification.

vutlll'rrfll) ATENT ANNA rseiur1..a1`r, OENEW yoann. y. 1 f j l '1 p mn'rrnnss., I

To (all 'w it 'may concern p Be itknownthat I, ANNA SQANLAN, a citizen of the United States, and a' resident of the city yof New York, in the county and vState of New York, have .invented an Improvement in Mattresses, of which the fol- My invention 'relates Ato mattresses, 'more particularly 'mattresses extensively used 1in cases of sicknessfsuch as forl example hospital mattresses, and aims Ato provide amattress which will enable the attendant to give every attention withoutmoving the patient.;

In many cases ofillness any movement of the `patient may in a great measure endanger his life and since 'it is necessary at times to move the patient in order to permit proper functioning of certain organs it becomes extremely desirable to provide a suitable means whereby proper functioning may take place with a minimum of disturbance to the patient. It is an object of this invention to provide a mattress so arranged that the excretionary organs may function properly with practically no movement of the patient, and this object is accomplished in that the invention provides a mattress suitably recessed whereby the excretionary receptacle may be readily and easily placed and removed without any disturbance of the patient.

In the accompanying drawings an illustrative embodiment of my invention is presented.

Figure l is a perspective view showing the closures in place in the recessed portion.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the closures removed and the excretionary receptacle in position.

In Fig. 2 the mattress l, tufted in the usual manner, is recessed at 2. The recess is situated at the transverse median of the mattress, extends to substantially equal distances on either side of said median, and from one side in a transverse direction to a point beyond the longitudinal median; as, for example, a distance of from about two-thirds to threefourths of the width of the mattress. The recess should be so dimensioned as to depth that an excretionary receptacle such as, for example a bed pan 3 ordinarily used in cases of sickness may be readily accommodated. lVhile the recess may be of any suitable depth it will be realized that the upper surface of the excretionary receptacle should be practically flush with the top of the mattress.

l i Specification of Letters Patent. .Jefil 192L pplicaton Vled'lll'ay 12, .17920.` "SeriaYINm 380,755'T i l i i i andsa'nitary condition the greater part of said mattress may be covered by an impervious medium, such as a rubber blanket 6,

'In` drder to jinaintain the mattress is a clean Fig.' 1 showsthe mattress l with "theyre- A i' cessedyportion 2 closed.l The closing ofsaid Arecessedzportion` 2 maybe by any suitable closure, such as, for example, al tufted article similartothemattresslitself, and this closure may consist'of a single member or a plurality of members. It has been found very satisfactory to make such closure in two parts, one of which is covered and tufted in the usual manner, the other portion being made in the ordinary way but in addition having thereon an impervious medium which completely covers the same. When such closure, or closures, are in proper position and the bed made up, the mattress has every appearance of an ordinary mattress and such would be the normal condition, the closures being removed only at such times as it may be found necessary in the attendance upon the patient.

In order to permit proper functioning without disturbing the patient all that is required in connection with the invention is that the closure' or closures be removed from the recess 2 and the excretionary receptacle placed therein. In the event that the closure is composed of two members 4 and 5 the bed pan, or other excretionary receptacle, is inserted to the .position previously occupied by closure member 4, and the remaining portion of the recess is closed by closure member 5. The closure member 4 and the excretionary receptacle 3 may be so proportioned that the space occupied by them is substantially the same. To remove the receptacle the closure 5 is first removed, and the receptacle then withdrawn. After removal of the receptacle the recess is at once closed by the replacement of closures 4 and 5.

It is apparent that throughout the whole attendance there has arisen no necessity to disturb the patient and, as has been pointed out, this feature is of the greatest value since endangering the life of the patient is thereby avoided.

The Vinvention therefore provides a mattress which permits proper functioning of the eXcretionary organs, lessens the labors of the attendants, and obviates endangering the life of the patient in cases of severe illnessv Where even a slight movementl would be'most detrimental.V Furthermore,the mattressY providesa most convenient manner of giving at- =tendance in 'all cases of sickness and is adapted to home use as Well as in hospitals since i by closing the recessed portion lby means lof suitable closures the mattress hasevery rap# -pearance and comfort of. a mattress ofthe usual kind.

In the event thatit is necessary tojallovv i the eXcretionary receptacle to remain'inplace at all times as in the case` of an incontinent patient an inflated ring comprised of impervious materialmaybe placed upon the receptacle 4upon which the patientV rests, said i Vring adding greatly to the comfort of the jzo patient and preventing further ailment, such as for example, lbed-sores.. i

` In addition tothe advantages set forth v above,moreparticularlythe use ofthe mattressvvith incontinent'patients, the mattress is also Well adaptedfor ku sein surgical eases V such as, fractures, cases involving'members inclosed in plaster casts, etc. Furthermore,

byfa 'simple reversal of the mattress an unreeessed surface is presented whereby the bed VVbecomes of the usual type and admits of mattress to a pointbeyond the longitudinal median and said recess having aV depthsubstantially one-half the depth oflsaid mattress and having perpendicular walls, a plurality .of closures for said recess, one of said clolsuresbeing covered with an impervious Vmedium andan impervious medium adapted to fit into said recess and to cover substantially the Whole `of'said mattress.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name tothis specification this 8th dayof May, 1920. Y e

ANNA SCANLAN 

